International School Ho Chi Minh City: An education like no other

International School Ho Chi Minh City: An education like no other

“I feel like the international community of ISHCMC has really shaped who I am. It’s really opened up my mind.” – Adam, Grade 11 student at ISHCMC

Since being established in 1993, the International School Ho Chi Minh City (ISHCMC) has carved a name of excellence on the global education stage. As the city’s first accredited IB School to offer all three levels of the program, ISHCMC is a noted powerhouse of academia, using education to energize, engage and empower students from all four corners of the globe.

Guiding learners from age two through to age eighteen, the school fosters a world-class curriculum that consciously disrupts the traditional classroom setting, instilling a strong foundation that allows students to meet the demands of the twenty-first century world. Here, students are taught in contemporary learning spaces by trained IB professionals who have their best interests at heart, with global-standard safeguards in place to ensure every child receives the support they need to unleash their full potential.

As Ho Chi Minh City’s premier international study location, the school understands what it means to offer education in its most holistic sense. Learning does not begin and end within the classroom walls, but rather seeps into every aspect of childhood development; recognizing that, the school strives to give its best and inspire every student.

Dedicated to breaking boundaries to produce future luminaries and pioneers, the school harbours innovative study hubs that ignite creativity and reflection, with cutting-edge facilities like the makerspace, green screen, film studio, mac lab and state-of-the-art classroom suites that all stir connectivity and innate collaboration.

But to be truly impactful, these aspects must feed into student life at home, so ISHCMC maintains guidance and support services for parents, teachers and learners alike.

“Whether you are making a transition from another country or from another local international school, we work in partnership with parents to ensure your child feels safe, happy and cared for,” says Christine Byrne, ISHCMC’s Director of Admissions. “…Our School enables you to become part of the ISHCMC international family community, which places strong emphasis on daily commitment and interaction,” she explains.

And with the academic year 2017/18 seeing the completion of a state of the art secondary campus, plus plans already underway to revamp the primary school space, ISHCMC’s promise to invest in students of every age, level and ability is distinct and undeniable. New-fangled buildings will encompass unique and exclusive facilities – including Vietnam’s first Innovation Center, specially-designed to prepare students for the commercial realities of the modern world – as well as full-scale sporting amenities like an indoor basketball court, an eight-lane competitive pool and a roof-top playing field, along with a 350-seat professional-standard theater, all of which allow the school to nurture individual student talent while simultaneously maintaining community well-being.

“…Teachers at ISHCMC encourage us all to work to our maximum potential,” says Emily Taylor, a Grade 10 student from New Zealand. “I participate in a range of sports and activities, basketball, ISHCMC Stingrays, Saigon Swim Aquatics Service Group and SGN Executives which allows me to balance my academic life,” she adds.

The school’s new campus facility will also embody a number of purified IQAir filtration systems, ensuring the ultimate learning conditions for student body, mind and spirit.

And there’s more; the school’s whole-hearted student care stretches much further and deeper, with the provision of mindfulness lessons for students, teachers and parents through its reputed Mindfulness Program. Launched in 2013, this enriching strategy urges learners to practice mindfulness techniques for 10 minutes each day, with activities spanning everything from meditation to mindful drawing. Outcomes of the program translate to lifelong expertise, honing minds into calm, positive and balanced instruments that are able to tackle modern issues with confidence and prowess. Science itself has shown that mindfulness reduces the risk of stress, anxiety and depression, highlighting ISHCMC’s ability to produce global graduates who represent the pinnacle of prosperity and health.

And if that’s not enough to highlight the institution’s pride in creating healthy, hearty students, the ISHCMC’s Canteen Committee also employed a Michelin-star chef. Gabriel Boyer, a well-respected chef in Ho Chi Minh’s fine dining scene, was introduced to spice up new school menus, tingling student taste buds with healthy, balanced and nutritious dishes made from locally-sourced ingredients.

“My children are constantly telling me about the new food they have tried at school,” says Line Stehr, a parent at ISHCMC.

“The kids are so lucky to have such a diverse menu reflecting dishes from all over the world. I think it’s a great opportunity for them to experiment with different cuisines,” she adds, and with dishes covering everything from hand-rolled sushi with wakame salad, to tandoori chicken with jeera rice, to Vietnamese clay pot pork and beyond, it’s easy to see what makes these students so passionate about cuisine.

The ISHCMC is undoubtedly a pioneer of global education. By harbouring highly-qualified, caring and first-rate teaching staff, the school grants round-the-clock student access to the service they deserve, while cutting-edge teaching facilities integrate new technologies, exposing them to the phenomenon of twenty-first century life. Education is no longer just about producing graduates with the most impressive grades; it’s about nurturing happy, passionate and globally-minded citizens instilled with the capabilities needed to conquer a complex and competitive world.

“With over 50 nationalities represented on campus, each of us has an exceptional opportunity to develop an understanding of, and appreciation for, the philosophies of people from many different cultures,” says Adrian Watts, Head of School at ISHCMC.

“Preparing students for the uncertainties of our future…is an unpredictable challenge that schools have not faced before,” he concludes, “but [is] one that ISHCMC embraces…[encouraging] the growth and development…that [allows] them to achieve their goals and [live] a long and happy life.”